Here you can browse the House of Commons Order of Business for 25 January 2005.

Notes:
* indicates a question for oral answer.
[R] indicates that the Member has declared a relevant interest.
Questions for oral answer not reached receive a written answer.
Supplementary questions will also be asked. Other Ministers may also answer.

+ indicates Government business.
Timings are indicative only.

At 11.30 a.m. Prayers

Afterwards

Oral Questions to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

*1

Angela Watkinson (Upminster): What discussions he has had with his counterparts in the European Union regarding the recent violence in Israel.

(
210381
)

*2

Mr Mark Lazarowicz (Edinburgh North & Leith): What meetings he has had with representatives of Ukraine since the recent presidential elections.

(
210382
)

*3

Mr Andrew Mackay (Bracknell): If he will make a statement on his Department's assistance to Afghanistan.

(
210383
)

*4

Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury): What recent discussions he has had with the Government of Eritrea about the boundary dispute with Ethiopia; and if he will make a statement.

(
210384
)

*5

Andrew Selous (South West Bedfordshire): What assessment he has made of the conclusions of the Iraq Survey Group.

(
210385
)

*6

Mr Bill Tynan (Hamilton South): What recent discussions he has had with the Government of Nigeria on the situation in the Niger Delta.

(
210386
)

*7

Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon): If he will make a statement on the implications of the Palestinian elections for the Middle East peace process.

(
210387
)

*8

Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon): If he will make a statement on the Government's assessment of Iran's nuclear programme.

(
210388
)

*9

John Mann (Bassetlaw): What action he is taking in conjunction with allies of the UK and the Iraqi interim government to protect Iraqi trade unionists.

(
210389
)

*10

Mr Bob Blizzard (Waveney): If he will make a statement on the situation in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

(
210390
)

*11

Mr David Amess (Southend West): What recent discussions he has had with the British High Commissioner of the Maldives on the political situation in the Maldives.

(
210391
)

*12

Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South): If he will make a statement on the application by Turkey for membership of the EU.

(
210392
)

*13

Mr Tom Harris (Glasgow Cathcart): What recent discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on the EU arms export embargo on China.

(
210393
)

*14

Mr Richard Bacon (South Norfolk): If the Minister for Europe will meet the Reverend Donald Reeves to discuss the situation in Banja Luka.

(
210395
)

*15

Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East): If he will make a statement on the EU embargo on arms sales to China.

(
210396
)

*16

Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk): When he next expects to discuss with his EU colleagues the range of sanctions in place against Zimbabwe.

(
210398
)

*17

David Cairns (Greenock & Inverclyde): What recent representations he has made to the Government of Syria concerning support for Hezbollah and Hamas.

(
210399
)

*18

Patrick Mercer (Newark): Whether the level of violence in Iraq has risen since Christmas.

(
210400
)

*19

Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley): What discussions he has had with the Electoral Commission relating to the dissemination of information to British citizens living abroad who are entitled to vote in UK elections.

(
210401
)

*20

Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): What the Government's policies are for taking forward the peace process in Israel and the Palestinian Territories.

(
210402
)

*21

Chris Bryant (Rhondda): What recent discussions he has had with his French counterpart on the Middle East peace process.

(
210403
)

*22

Mr Liam Byrne (Birmingham, Hodge Hill): If he will make a statement on the outcome of recent Ministerial visits to Kashmir.

(
210405
)

At 12.30 p.m.

Urgent Questions (if any)Ministerial Statements (if any)

Preliminary Business

Notices of Presentation of Bills

+ 1

EUROPEAN UNION

[No debate]

Mr Secretary Straw

Bill to make provision in connection with the Treaty signed at Rome on 29th October 2004 establishing a Constitution for Europe; and to require a referendum to be held about it.

Formal first reading: no debate or decision.

2

CYSTIC FIBROSIS (EXEMPTION FROM PRESCRIPTION CHARGES)

[No debate]

Mr Archie Norman

Bill to exempt persons with cystic fibrosis from charges for drugs, medicines, appliances and pharmaceutical services.

Formal first reading: no debate or decision.

Ten minute rule Motion

3

SUCCESSION TO THE CROWN AND RETIREMENT OF THE SOVEREIGN

[Up to 20 minutes]

Mr Jonathan Sayeed

That leave be given to bring in a Bill to provide for Sovereigns to be chosen by the House of Commons from among the immediate family of the preceding Sovereign; to provide that all Sovereigns so chosen shall cease to be Sovereign upon reaching the age of 75; to make consequential provision relating to Regencies, succession to the Duchies of Lancaster and Cornwall, and the private estates of the Crown; and for connected purposes.

The Member moving and a Member opposing this Motion may each speak for up to ten minutes (Standing Order No. 23).

That this House calls for a delay in the implementation of the Licensing Act 2003 in the light of concerns expressed by doctors, senior police officers and members of the judiciary that the Act will lead to increased health and policing problems; is concerned about the increase in violent crimes since 1998, half of which are attributed to alcohol misuse; recognises that drunken revellers are turning town and city centres into no-go areas, thus putting an increasing burden on health and police resources, and predicts that the implementation of the Act will exacerbate these problems; is further concerned about increased alcohol consumption and believes that extended opening hours will have an adverse serious effect on health of the nation; and regrets that the Government has fundamentally failed to deal with the problem of binge drinking before proceeding with the implementation of the Licensing Act 2003.

As an Amendment to Mr Michael Howard's proposed Motion (Implementation of the Licensing Act 2003):

Line 1, leave out from `House' to end and add `considers that failure to implement the Licensing Act 2003 without delay would deny the local community increased powers of intervention and improved democratic accountability with regard to licensing, deny the police the expanded powers that are vital to their efforts to tackle alcohol-related crime and would prevent licensing authorities from receiving income from licensing fees needed to recover on-going expenditure in preparing for the new regime; believes that any delay in the implementation of the Act would undermine the prevention of crime and disorder and public nuisance, damage public safety and hinder the protection of children from harm; further believes that the Act will complement the delivery of the Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy for England which aims to reduce excessive drinking and the harms that causes; and, furthermore, commends the proposals for Alcohol Disorder Zones and the extension of fixed penalty notices and other measures set out in `Drinking Responsibly', the consultation paper published jointly by the Home Office, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister on 21st January 2005.'.

That this House regrets the passing of the Food Supplements Regulations (England) 2003; mandates the Government to use the UK Presidency to renegotiate the Food Supplements Directive with the European Union; and indicates a willingness to repeal the regulations if the renegotiation does not reach a satisfactory compromise to protect the interests of consumers and manufacturers in the United Kingdom.

Line 1, leave out from `House' to end and add `congratulates the Government on successfully negotiating a final text of the Directive that works in the interests of UK consumers and industry by ensuring that products are safe, properly labelled, and can be freely traded across EU member states; notes that UK legislation gives maximum flexibility that ensures that as many products as possible can continue to be marketed after the Directive comes into effect on 1st August, and that all of the vitamins and most of the minerals currently on sale in the UK will still be available; agrees with the Government's assessment that re-opening discussion on the Directive at this point runs the risk of making its effects more restrictive and is thus against UK interests; and welcomes the Government's continued commitment to working with the industry on assessing the safety of individual food supplements, and to facilitating negotiations with the European Food Standards Agency.'.

The selection of the matters to be debated this day has been made by the Leader of the Opposition (Standing Order No. 14(2)).

Debate may continue until 7.00 p.m.

+ 5

REPRESENTATION OF THE PEOPLE

[No debate]

Mr Secretary Darling

That the draft Parliamentary Constituencies (Scotland) Order 2005, which was laid before this House on 14th December, be approved.

To be decided without debate (Standing Order No. 118(6)).

+ 6

PROTECTING WORKERS FROM RISKS ARISING FROM OPTICAL RADIATION

[No debate]

Jane Kennedy

That this House takes note of European Union Document No. 10678/04 and Addendum 1, a draft Directive to protect workers from the effects of optical radiation; and supports the Government's position that the proposed Directive is broadly acceptable and that the Government will work with Member States to secure a Directive that achieves adequate worker protection with minimal burdens on business.

To be decided without debate (Standing Order No. 119(9)).

+ 7

BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE

[No debate after 7.00 p.m.]

Mr Peter Hain

That, at the sitting on Wednesday 2nd February 2005, notwithstanding the provisions of Standing Order No. 16 (Proceedings under an Act or on European Union documents), the Speaker shall put the Questions necessary to dispose of proceedings on the Motion in the name of Mr Secretary Clarke relating to Police Grant Report (England and Wales) not later than three hours after their commencement, and shall put the Questions necessary to dispose of proceedings on the Motions in the name of Mr Secretary Prescott relating to Local Government Finance (England) not later than six hours after the commencement of proceedings on the Motion relating to Police Grant Report (England and Wales); proceedings may continue after the moment of interruption; and Standing Order No. 41A (Deferred divisions) shall not apply.

Witnesses: The Writers' Guild of Great Britain; The Theatres Trust (at approximately 11.00 a.m.); The National Operatic and Dramatic Association, the Central Council for Amateur Theatre, and the Little Theatre Guild of Great Britain (at approximately 11.45 a.m.).

14

Constitutional Affairs and Office of the Deputy Prime Minister: Housing, Planning, Local Government and the Regions